This section of the site is dedicated to posting notices about government issues, the environment, community issues and art / cultural issues and opportunities.

We post select public notices for non-profits, community organizations, cultural organizations and some independent notices for free. Please note that particular events should be posted in the Member Calendar [contact us for instructions] and that this section is designated for NOTICES meaning things like soliciting input for upcoming public hearings, grant opportunities and deadlines and so forth.

There are 68,898 children enrolled in full-day pre-K for the school year that began September 2015 – a three-fold increase from just two years prior.

The average family saves $10,000 per year in childcare costs through the free Pre-K for All program. The program opens up a life-changing educational opportunity to their children. Mayor de Blasio said,

“Ask the children, the parents and the teachers about the difference Pre-K for All has made in their lives. This is one of the best choices any family will ever make for a child. It is lifting up so many people by building a stronger educational foundation for our kids and our schools, and saving parents money and helping them work. We are here to help you find the right program today and put your child on a path to success.”

All New York City families with children born in 2012 are eligible to apply to pre-K for the 2016-17 school year. This includes children with disabilities and children whose home language is a language other than English. There are enough free, full-day, high-quality seats to meet the demand of every four-year-old in New York City. To make the enrollment process even easier, the Department of Education moved up the application timeline so that families can apply more than a month earlier than last year, receiving offer letters over a month sooner in early May.

How to Apply

Learn About Available Programs in Every Neighborhood in the online Pre-K Directory or by calling 311.

Complete a Short Application for All Programs: Complete a simple application

online on NYC.gov/prek,

over the phone at 718-935-2067, or

in person at a Family Welcome Center.

The single application allows families to list up to 12 full-day pre-K programs – including DOE district schools, DOE-run Pre-K Centers and NYC Early Education Centers (NYCEECs) – ranking programs of interest in order of preference.

Available in Multiple Languages: The online application is translated into nine languages, and families can submit an application over the phone or in person in over 200 languages.

“Studies have shown the benefits of early childhood education. For decades, the UFT has advocated for Universal Pre-K, and now we urge all parents to enroll their children.”

Council Member Daniel Dromm, Chair of the Committee on Education said,

“I urge all families who have a child who is or will turn four years old this year to register for Pre-K for All. Pre-K provides students with the educational foundation they need to succeed for the rest of their lives. I am proud to have worked with Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Fariña to expand this vital program since its inception and encourage New York City parents to seize this opportunity before the March 4 deadline.”

Council Member Ben Kallos said,

“All children deserve a fair start in life. This year we hope more than 70,000 New York City children will get one. Our city has become a national leader in family-friendly policy. I watched my single mother work hard, and at times, struggle. Now because of Universal Pre-K, thousands of working families will have it easier. I look forward to assisting in expanding the program in more neighborhoods around the City.”

This year’s group of programs is more diverse and offers more services to families than ever before. Approximately 30 pre-K programs have been designated as Dual Language (DL), and nearly 200 pre-K programs are designated as Enhanced Language Support (ELS).

The earlier application process will give families more time to prepare for the transition to pre-K, allow pre-K programs to pre-register students and make waitlist offers before the end of the current school year. A second round of applications will begin the first week of May and will feature additional, newly awarded fall 2016 pre-K programs and programs with remaining availability. The second round of applications will allow families to explore new options and apply to more programs of interest.

To explore their options, families can access a variety of resources. Families are encouraged to use the online Pre-K Finder for the latest information and program updates, with helpful mapping tools and program information to help families plan their application. Families are also encouraged to use the 2016 Pre-K for All Directory available on the pre-K website in ten languages. The Pre-K Directory contains detailed admissions information and updated program lists. Enrollment specialists will also be available to help families throughout the process to ensure they find a program that best fits their child’s needs.

The NYC Mayors Office

Submitted & Posted February 22, 2016

Hibridos Collective

Open Calls For Art Educators & Youth for The People's Tent of Tomorrow

***Deadline - March 4, 2016***

The New York State Pavilion is an historic structure originally built for the 1964/1965 World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens. The structure was the shining star of the 1964-65 World’s Fair, charming the millions of visitors who flocked to Queens for a two-year celebration that made it the center of the world. The Pavilion closed shortly after the Fair, and in the 50 years since, no long-term use has been found for the the ailing structure.

Presented by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and People for the Pavilion, the New York State Pavilion Ideas Competition is an “anything goes” approach to radically reimagine the Pavilion. Launching in March 2016 and running through June of the same year, the competition consists of an interactive website where participants can submit their idea for a future use for this iconic building.

As a programming partner, Hibridos Collective is hosting monthly public programs throughout the duration of the competition. Hibridos Collective’s the “People’s Tent of Tomorrow” is a pop-up tent paying homage to the New York State Pavilion by offering visitors the opportunity to learn about the history of this landmark, and to imagine the possibilities for its future.

Call for Queens-based Visual Art Educators

Artists will share their skills and craft to facilitate a creative process with visitors to help them visualize and represent their ideas through drawing, sketching, doodling, and many other forms of design.

To apply go to - http://hibridos.co/open-calls-for-the-peoples-tent-of-tomorrow/

Call for Queens-based Youth

Youth between the ages of 18-24 will engage diverse audiences by encouraging participation in guided and self-guided activities and work with artists to facilitate a creative process for the Ideas Competition.

To apply go to - http://hibridos.co/open-calls-for-the-peoples-tent-of-tomorrow/

Read more about the "People's Tent of Tomorrow" and the public programs by cutting and pasting the url above into your brower bar.

Hibridos Collective

February 16, 2016 / posted 2/22/16

NYC Transit Ordinance Compliance Deadline Passed

Law Provides Public Commuting Tax Benefit for Busiensses

The Ordinance requires that companies with 20 or more full-time employees who work in the City of New York (including the 5 boroughs) must offer a pretax transit benefit program to their NYC employees by January 1, 2016. The law covers public transit and includes train, subway, bus, ferry and vanpool.

The good news is that by complying with the law, your company and employees save money. In fact, the more your employees save, the more your company saves on payroll taxes. It's really a win-win for everyone!

Check out our Info Guide to learn more. Or call us at 1.888.860.CHEK (2435) to comply with the law and start saving today.

In collaboration with the Manhattan Solid Waste Advisory Board and Borough President Gale Brewer, we are awarding grants of up to $750 to start or expand compost projects in NYC.

Groups such as community gardens, schools, tenant associations, and community organizations in all 5 boroughs are eligible for the grant. Grant funds can be used to build compost bins, purchase other compost materials or tools, do outreach and education, and more.

Learn more about the grant on our website. Questions? Contact Sabine: sbernards@citizensnyc.org or 212-822-9578

II. Greenthumb Grow Together Conference - March 19, 2016

Join over a thousand community gardeners and greening professionals from all over New York City for a day of learning, sharing, networking, and greening inspiration at the 32nd Annual GreenThumb GrowTogether! This year's conference features exciting new workshops and returning favorites, including many hands-on and youth-focused workshops, for gardeners of all ages.

III. Center for Neighborhood Leadership - 2/23 & 3/11

Interested in getting more community organizing training? The Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development's Center for Neighborhood Leadership has two in-depth training opportunities for new and more experiences organizers: a 10-month apprenticeship program and the NYC Organizing Academy.

Learn more on their website or attend an application information session on February 23. Apprenticeship applications due March 11.

Citizens Committee for New York City - info@citizensnyc.org

Submitted February 2, 2016

NOVEMBER 2015 - QUEENS PUBLIC NOTICES

Socrates Sculpture Park -
Folly 2016: Design / Build Opportunity

CALL FOR PROPOSALS

Socrates Sculpture Park and The Architectural League invite designers and architects to help shape the physical setting in which the park fulfills its mission as an environment for art, creative expression, social programming, and education. Socrates, located in Long Island City, Queens, is distinctive for its combination of waterfront setting, accessibility, and community-driven programs.

In previous years the Folly program investigated the intersection between sculpture and architecture with temporary structures that intentionally served no utilitarian purpose. This year, marking the program’s 5th and the park’s 30th anniversaries, the competition instead asks entrants to fuse form with utility, creating designs that explore the intersection of art and architecture while durably addressing and improving the conditions of the park.

ELIGIBILITY

Architects and designers are invited to apply. Applications will be accepted from individuals and firms; entrants need not be licensed. Architects and designers outside of New York City are eligible to apply, but housing and transportation are not provided with the award.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND PROCESS & DEADLINE

Applications should be emailed to folly@archleague.org no later than 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, January 25, 2016. For entry requirements and FAQs, please visit archleague.org/Folly16

Proposals must include the following components, which must be formatted as instructed below and emailed to folly@archleague.org no later than 11:59 p.m. on Monday, January 25, 2016. For details regarding submissions, click to the Socrates Sculpture Park website.

Submitted on November 19, 2015 by Socrates Sculpture Park

Over $1.6 million in Neighborhood Grants and Services Now Available for Volunteer Groups Across NYC

Micro-Grants of up to $3,000 will go to local projects that address quality-of-life concerns

Grant application deadline: January 25, 2016

NEW YORK – Have an idea to improve your New York City neighborhood?

Citizens Committee for New York City (“Citizens Committee”) announced today it would award over $1.6 million to more than 500 neighborhood-based volunteer groups across New York City. Through its Neighborhood Grants program, Citizens Committee awards micro-grants of $500 to $3,000 to volunteer groups to work on community and school improvement projects. Neighborhood Grant applications for 2016 in English and Spanish are now available as online-only or printable versions on the following website: www.citizensnyc.org/grants.

Groups do not need to be a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit to receive a Neighborhood Grant. Neighbors forming a volunteer group for the first time are encouraged to contact Citizens Committee directly to learn more and apply for their first-ever grant.

Last year, Citizens Committee awarded approximately $1.6 million in grants and support to 366 grassroots projects in 108 city neighborhoods, mobilizing over 7,300 New Yorkers and directly improving the quality of life for approximately 117,000 city residents. Through sweat equity -and project “seed money” from Citizens Committee- neighbors worked together to strengthen the most underserved communities in New York City.

IMPORTANT DATES – 2016 NEIGHBORHOOD GRANTS

January 25, 2016: Grant application submission deadline.

April 2016: Grant decision letters mailed to applicants.

May 2016: Mixer and Orientation session held for 2016 grantees.

June 2016-June 2017: Neighborhood and school improvement projects implement

For more information about Neighborhood Grants and the rest of Citizens Committee’s grant programs and no-cost skills-building workshops, group representatives and interested individuals should contact:

Tehmina Brohi at tbrohi@citizensnyc.org or call (212) 822-9563

Submitted November 18, 2015

JULY 2015 - QUEENS PUBLIC NOTICES

COPYRIGHT ALERT: Return of ORPHAN WORKS Legislation

This email was submitted to Queens Buzz by a friend of the Illustrators Partnership on July 5th, 2015

Friends,

Please read and act upon the following. This is perhaps the most important thing you’ll read today, and it affects all of us in the visual arts.

For more than a year Congress has been holding hearings for the drafting of a brand new US Copyright Act. At its heart is the return of Orphan Works.
Twice, Orphan Works Acts have failed to pass Congress because of strong opposition from visual artists, spearheaded by the Illustrators Partnership.
Because of this, the Copyright Office has now issued a special call for letters regarding the role of visual art in the coming legislation.
Therefore we’re asking all artists concerned with retaining the rights to their work to join us in writing.

The demand for copyright “reform” has come from LARGE INTERNET FIRMS and the legal scholars allied with them. Their business models involve supplying the public with access to other people’s copyrighted work. Their problem has been how to do this legally and without paying artists.
The “reforms” they’ve proposed would allow them to stock their databases with our pictures. This would happen either by forcing us to hand over our images to them as registered works, or by harvesting unregistered works as orphans and copyrighting them in their own names as “derivative works.”
The Copyright Office acknowledges that this will cause special problems for visual artists but concludes that we should still be subject to orphan works law.

The “Next Great Copyright Act” would go further than previous Orphan Works Acts.

The proposals under consideration include:
1.) The Mass Digitization of our intellectual property by corporate interests.
2.) Extended Collective Licensing, a form of socialized licensing that would replace voluntary business agreements between artists and their clients.
3.) A Copyright Small Claims Court to handle the flood of lawsuits expected to result from orphan works infringements.

In your letter to the Copyright Office
It’s important that lawmakers be told that our copyrights are our source of income because lobbyists and corporation lawyers have “testified” that once our work has been published it has virtually no further commercial value and should therefore be available for use by the public.
So when writing, please remember:

* It’s important that you make your letter personal and truthful.
* Keep it professional and respectful.
* Explain that you’re an artist and have been one for x number of years.
* Briefly list your educational background, publications, awards, etc.
* Indicate the field(s) you work in.
* Explain clearly and forcefully that for you, copyright law is not an
abstract legal issue, but the basis on which your business rests.
* Our copyrights are the products we license.
* This means that infringing our work is like stealing our money.
* It’s important to our businesses that we remain able to determine
voluntarily how and by whom our work is used.
* Stress that your work does NOT lose its value upon publication.
* Instead everything you create becomes part of your business inventory.
* In the digital era, inventory is more valuable to artists than ever before.
* Define your specific interest in copyright, and give a few relevant
details.
* You might want to stress that it’s important to you that you determine
how and by whom your work is used.
* You might wish to state that even if you’re a hobbyist, you would not
welcome someone else monetizing your work for their own profit
without your knowledge or consent.

Because this is a complicated issue, we’ll follow up next week with some expanded thoughts of our own.

Email Note & Info below From – Brad Holland and Cynthia Turner
for the Board of the Illustrators Partnership

The Illustrators Partnership has filed multiple papers with the
Copyright Office regarding this issue.

You can learn more about the authors and their group at thehagussociety.org which appears to have discontinued their site noted as of 12/11/16.

The above email was submitted by an artist from Queens on July 5, 2015

Editor's Note: "Many hands make light work", so if you send a letter as prescribed above you'll be doing your bit to protect the ownership rights to your work.

In democracies you can never assume that government officials will do the right thing, especially if they don't think you care. So if you want to protect your ownership rights, you have to take the initiative yourself. And if enough people do the same, then your rights may be preserved, but if not ...

AUGUST 2014 - QUEENS PUBLIC NOTICES

Queens World Film Festival Submissions Now Open

In 2014, the 4th Queens World Film Festival (QWFF) has produced 7 encore screenings featuring 30 films (http://queensworldfilmfestival.com/events/2014/street_play/) with 6 More screenings scheduled, our New York audiences have ample chances to experience these diverse films, and the filmmakers have exciting screening opportunities.

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